UKRAINE

Сухой Су-27, Су-27УБ, Су-27УБМ (Sukhoi Su-27, Su-27UB, Su-27UBM)

Data update:

December 2023

Country / user:

Україна (Ukraine). Former Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, independence 24 August 1991.
Inherited 217 x MiGs-29 and 67 x Su-27/27UB in 1991, when USSR splits.

17 March 1992 were formed Військово-Повітряні Сили України (Air Forces of Ukraine),

In 2004/2005 transformed into Повітряні Сили Збройних Сил України (Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine), current user.

In service:

1991+

Operational:
  • Probably not more than 36 x Su-27 and Su-27UB. Some aircraft are stored in airfield in Миргород (Mirgorod).
  • 04.1992: Su-27UB was crashed in Mirgorod during demonstration flight.
  • 2003: few Su-27 were sold to Eritrea.
  • 04.2002: Su-27UB was crashed in Skniliv airfield near Lviv during airshow, causing many victims.
  • 2009: two stored Su-27UB (#61 produced in 1990 and #66 produced in 1988) were overhauled and demilitarized in Zaporizhzhya ARZ and sold to USA private owner (Pride Aircraft, Inc, Rockford, Illinois). Fictious bort numbers 31 and 31. Registred in USA 2009-2010 as N131SU (first flight 10 December 2009) and N132SU and offered for sale. N131SU it's a first civilian Sukhoi Su-27 in the world!
  • 2009: Few Sukhois is stored in airfield Mirgorod, even not painted since soviet times: 09 11 12 20 33 67. Also 48 and 62 are now "out of service".
  • 2010: One Sukhoi Su-27 (yellow 24, almost for sure fictious number - soviet aircrafts inherited by Ukraine have red numbers with white outline) is displayed in Ivan Kozhebud Air Force Univeristy in Kharkiv.
Deliveries

1991: 67 x Su-27 and Su-27UB, USSR inheritance - two soviet regiments.

Manufacturer:

KnAAPO and IAPO

Upgrades, overhauls and maintenance:

Overhauls in Запорізький державний авіаційно ремонтний завод „МіГремонт” (Zaporizhzhya / Zaporozhye State Air Repair Plant) and other ukrainian enterprises.

No modernization programm.

Camouflage and painting:

Aircrafts and engines are overhauled in Львівський Державний авіаційно-ремонтний завод "ЛДАРЗ" (Lviv State Air Repair Plant "LDARZ") and mentioned above Zaporizhzhya DARZ. Aircrafts wearing distinctive "splinter" camouflage - different on each plane. First repainted from standard soviet camouflage was Su-27 #36, in 1996. Colors used for paintings slightly differs in some aircrafts, radar and antennas are darkgreen, grey or white. Numbers are darkblue with white outline. Some aircrafts were overhauled in air base, like Su-27UB #71 - on right fin is an emblem of the Technical Maintenance Unit (not Zaporizhzhya DARZ of course).

About 1996: aircraft #48 and #57 gest special painting (yellow and blue stripes) and were displayed on airshows. Aircraft #57 has own name Иван Ильич Бабак (Ivan Ilyich Babak, 1919-2001, soviet fighter pilot, WWII ace with 33 victories). Also Su-27UB #62 and Su-27 #56 was often displayed on airshows.

Contract for next deliveries:

none

Units:

Aircrafts were primarly used by 62nd IAP (Fighter Air Regiment) in Belbek (14 aircrafts), Crimea and 831st Fighter Air Regiment in Mirgorod.

Between 2001 and 2004 Sukhois were used by 9th Винищувальна Авіаційна Бригада (now Brigade of Tactical Aviation) in Озерне (Ozyernye, Ozerne), alongside with MiGs-29.

Now (2010) only 831st Brigade (Галацький авiаполк, Galatskiy Aviapolk) in Mirgorod

Bort numbers (known from photographs):

Su-27:
01 02 05 06 07 08 09
11 12 14 15
20 24 27 28
30 31 33 34 35 36 37 38 39
41 43 45 47 48
50 52 53 56 57 58
Su-27UB:
61 62 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75


1996, ukrainian Su-27. Standard soviet painting, of course aircraft not was so clean as on my drawing.
Aircraft from early production series - see shape of tailboom and flares launchers. Big ukrainian tridents to cover red stars.


1999, ukrainian Su-27UB. Bort number #62 in low-visibility version (only outline without fill) as well on Su-27 #36, #48, #57.
Soon (about 2000-2001) that numbers were changed to lightblue with white outline.


2008-2010, ukrainian Su-27, Galatskiy Aviapolk, Mirgorod.
Two canopys is better than one, even if second is painted...


2010, ukrainian Su-27UB, Galatskiy Aviapolk, Mirgorod.
Earlier (2006) all grey surfaces (radar, antennas) were darkgreen.
In March 2008 President Viktor A. Yushchenko flies once on that aircraft.
Please note that yellow in roundels is darker than in tridents.


2009, Ukrainian Su-27UB, 2009, Galatskiy Aviapolk, Mirgorod.
Since the year 2009 aircrafts overhauled in Zaporizhzhya (Su-27 38 and 39) gets new camouflage scheme: grey, blue and darkblue, but no "splinter" edges.
Yellow in tridents and roundels (no roundels on borts) almost orange. Numbers very dark.
Overhauled and painted in new style were: #39, #52 and #75(UB) in 2010, #26 in 2011. Also: #53, #69(UB), #74(UB).

Latest Ukrainian painting scheme (since 2012) is three-tone (grey, blue and darkblue) digital scheme (pixelized): #100 (ex. #58), #101, #71(UB), #45, #48, #73(UB).


Ukrainian Su-27 number 100 (ex 58), 2012. Sorry, only one side on drawing.


Well known Ukrainian Su-27UB number 75, now in war colors. 39th Tactical Aviation Brigade, Myrhorod (Ukrainian: Ми́ргород), October 2023.


One of Sukhois restored during a war. 39th Tactical Aviation Brigade, Myrhorod (Ukrainian: Ми́ргород), 2023.
Drawing is little schematic, tactical numer fictional.


© 2008-2023 Mariusz Wojciechowski, Słupsk (Poland)